We review two examples on the transport of energy in DC circuits proposed by J.H. Poynting in 1884: a straight wire carrying a current and a capacitor discharge through a wire. In particular we analyze whether some of the Poynting hypothesis in these examples are due to at that time was unaware the role of surface charge on the resistive conductors in the understanding of energy transport. We also present an analytical solution for the flow of energy in the discharge of a capacitor through a resistive conductor.
surface charges; electric field; energy flow
